Former Wichita State assistant coach Chris Jans apologizes for incident at bar
Former Wichita State assistant basketball coach Chris Jans apologized for his conduct in an Ohio bar on March 21. Jans was fired from his job as head coach at Bowling Green State University following the incident.
“Although I have already apologized to my wife, my family, my players and coaches, I want to now publicly apologize to everyone else, including any one in the BGSU community who may have been affected by this matter,” Jans said in a statement released Friday. “I am truly sorry. I plan to use the future months and years to improve myself as an individual and to show them that their faith in me as a coach, and a person, was not unwarranted.”
Bowling Green fired Jans on April 2 after one season at the school, located in Bowling Green, Ohio.
“On March 21st I made a mistake for which I sincerely apologize,” Jans said in the statement. “After our final loss of the season I went to a bar to be amongst friends, became intoxicated and proceeded to act in a manner which was inappropriate. I have tried to instill in every student I’ve coached the importance of taking responsibility for one’s actions, and that is what I am trying to do now.”
According to documents released by Bowling Green, Jans was involved in an incident at a bar near the Bowling Green campus. Jans grabbed the head of one woman who was familiar to Bowling Green basketball staff and pulled it toward his body. He also patted another woman on the behind, which was captured on a cell-phone video and sent to athletic director Chris Kingston.
Jans also was accused of calling a college-age woman by a derogatory name when she confronted him about his behavior.
“I have been completely forthcoming and honest with the Bowling Green State University administration during this process,” Jans said in the statement. “I immediately made efforts to apologize to those offended that evening including the woman who approached me that night to chastise me for my conduct.”
Bowling Green went 21-12 in Jans’ lone season as coach and played in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. He joined WSU coach Gregg Marshall’s first staff in 2007 and earned a promotion to associate head coach in 2011. Bowling Green hired him after the 2013-14 season.
Contributing: The Associated Press
This story was originally published April 10, 2015 at 11:53 AM with the headline "Former Wichita State assistant coach Chris Jans apologizes for incident at bar."